To combat the problem, House Democrats have asked Third Way, the centrist Democratic think tank, and California Rep. Jane Harman, a leader on intelligence issues in the House, to help lead training sessions on the issue.
“The Democratic approach on security — or at least my approach — is that we know how to be tough and smart, not tough and reckless,” said Harman, a Blue Dog whose district is home to an enormous Air Force base and a number of intelligence contractors. “For some Democrats, this is difficult.”
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) attended one of Harman’s sessions when he was running for office in 2008. Now the president of the Democratic freshman class, he helped lead a session for other Democrats late last month. He said his party has to “avoid the trap of looking soft and weak” and that “there are strong adverbs, adjectives and verbs as opposed to weak.”
One example he offered: “I’m going to fight for American interests abroad” as opposed to “I’m going to defend American values.”
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